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10 facts and myths

about Moscow and Muscovites

In the first weekend of September celebrates birthday of Moscow. This year was 862th birthday of Moscow, Russia. During this time, Russia's capital not only manages to become the beautiful city of Russia, but also grows a myth about itself and its inhabitants.

No one likes MoscowAccording to the results of poll done by the Public Opinion Fund in 2007, 69% of the Russian citizens consider that Moscow is just a big city, nothing else. But 22% of Russians sure that Moscow is "the embodiment of all the best that Russia has."36% of respondents feel Moscow positively about Moscow, almost as many (35%) answer that they do not feel any emotions. 20% of respondents have negative feeling about Moscow.

Nobody likes MuscovitesAccording to the same survey, majority non-Muscovites (66%) believe that the residents of the capital are different from other Russian cities. The most frequently image of the Muscovite mentioned the good work, high incomes, and business qualities, diligence, and related with it material welfare.But characterizing the human qualities of the Muscovites, Russians often called negative traits. 9% of respondents described their arrogance and snobbishness (the third most popular response after the success and dedication). 6% of respondents consider Muscovites rude and aggressive, 4% of them said that Muscovites are greedy and prone to profiteering. 3% of Russians believe that Muscovites unwelcoming and inhospitable, nervous and restless, selfish.Of the positive moral qualities of Muscovites were mentioned intelligent and cultured (3%), as well as the friendliness and sociability (2%).

Muscovites do not like of "come in large numbers" province According to Russia's Center for Migration Studies, Muscovites, whose grandparents also lived in the capital, now less than 2% - 150-180 thousand people, reported "Novye Izvestia". Almost half of Moscow residents (47%) were not born in the capital, and the proportion of such residents is increasing.And it's not just a natural attrition of the indigenous population. Immigration is one the reasons. About 100 thousand Muscovites went abroad after the collapse of the Soviet Union.Over the past 20 years the proportion of natives of Russia in Moscow declined from 90 to 84%, the share of Ukrainians in Russia's capital has decreased from 2,8 to 2,4%, Belarusians - from 0,8 to 0,6%, and Jews from 2% to 0,7%. But amount of immigrants from Armenia and Georgia has more than tripled, immigration from Azerbaijan increased in five times. However, the amount of native-born Caucasian republics is only 3% of Moscow population. The number of immigrants from the North Caucasus has increased tenfold, but their proportion in the population of the city about 1%. In addition, in Moscow reside approximately 300 thousand people from foreign countries such as Chinese, Afghans, Vietnamese, Serbs and Turks.Thus, the Muscovites themselves in the majority are "come in large numbers” province. It turns out that Muscovites are not born but become.

Muscovites do not go to metropolitan museums"Where you going?" - "In the Tretyakov Gallery" - "Why?" There is only limitchik and guests of the capital. Such dialogue from popular Soviet film Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears is reflecting another myth about the Muscovites. In fact, the survey of the All-Russia Public Opinion Research Center says that Moscow and St. Petersburg people are more often than other Russians visit museums.On average 3% of Russian people quite often visit museums. According to the research holding ROMIR Monitoring for 2006, more than a third of Muscovites, which is 36%, are attended theaters and museums, exhibitions and concerts. Another word, one from ten of the capital resident actively entertains himself once a month.

Moscow "zazhralas" (over gobble)As stated in August by the head of the department of economic policy and development of the capital Ogloblina Marina, the average salary in Moscow is about 33 thousand rubles. Muscovites earnings grow despite crisis. Since the beginning of this year, it increased 11-11,5%. According to the Federal State Statistics Service (Rosstat), average monthly wage in Russia in January 2009 amounted about 15,2 thousand rubles. It’s falling by 25% by comparison with 2008.

Moscow - the most expensive city in RussiaAt the same time according to prices for goods and services, Moscow is one of the most expensive cities in the world. Thus, the Swiss bank UBS specialists placed Russia's capital in 56th place of the most expensive cities in the world. They compared prices for goods and services of this current year by 122 positions. Also they identified Moscow on 41th place in the world ranking by largest average salary.For three years, according to Agency Mercer, "our dear capital” has been named the most expensive city in the world for the residence of aliens. This year it pushed down by the Japanese capital Tokyo and the Japanese city of Osaka.Living in Moscow is too expensive even for millionaires. The prestigious Forbes magazine has estimated last fall that the "gentlemen's set of" banker's luxurious life total cost is more expensive in the First Throne (Moscow nick-name). For example, hotel accommodation in the capital of Russia is 40% more expensive than in the same kind in London. The only place you can buy Louis Vuiton handbag more expensive than in Moscow is Dubai. According to all measures, Paris named the most affordable among the eight business capitals of the world

Moscow - the dirtiest city in RussiaThere are three Russian cities in the list of 35 most polluted cities in the world, compiled by the American non-profit research institute Blacksmith. They are Dzerzhinsk (Center of Chemical Industry), Norilsk (the world's largest mining plant) and Magnitogorsk (Center extractive industries).

Moscow has terrible traffic jamsCapital traffic jam on average lasts 1 hour 26 minutes (for comparison: in St. Petersburg - 54 minutes, in Yekaterinburg - 46 minutes, in Kiev - 45 minutes). Every day there are more than 800 traffic jams in Russian capital, each is about 1400 thousand cars. Average Muscovites lost in traffic jams more than 12 hours per month (it is 12 light-days or 6 full days a year).Most difficult streets of Moscow are part of the 3rd Transport Ring of Kutuzovsky Prospekt to Shmitovsky Proezd, Suschevsky Val (from Savelovskaya ramps up to Sheremetievskaya street) and the MKAD (from Novorizhskoye to Volokolamsk highway).

Moscow - a big "anthill"The newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda reports that the norm of comfortable living in a Western megacity is 15 persons per hectare. According to academician Russia Academy of Sciences building, there are 120 people per hectare in Russia's capital. For comparison: the density of population in Chicago is 16 people, in New York - 40, London - 62, Paris - 88, Hong Kong - 367.The density of population in Moscow about a thousand times higher than in Russia on average (considering the sparsely populated area), which is three times higher than in the northern capital St Petersburg.

Everybody rushes to Moscow and "holds" for herOnly 15% of Muscovites were willing to move to another city for employment, according to a survey done by the Research Center Portal SuperJob.ru in September 2006. "Nobody leaves Moscow" - this was the most typical Muscovites’ comment. In February 2009, 29% of residents of the capital of Moscow were willing to move to another city for work.This is constantly growing number of Muscovites who move to the suburbs. According to the calculation of “Miel-Novostroyks”, the proportion of capital residents in the total demand for housing in Moscow suburbs reached 60% in this year. Most often, a successful Muscovites leaving “away from Moscow” to abroad. Another emerging trend is downshifting: when Muscovites refuse from capital income and a career for life "for themself" in the small, quiet towns or villages.